Gaza Strip

Location	Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel
Geographic coordinates	31 25 N, 34 20 E Map of Gaza Strip
Map references	Middle East
Area	total: 360 sq km land: 360 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries	total: 62 km border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km
Coastline	40 km
Maritime claims	see entry for Israel note: effective 3 January 2009 the Gaza maritime area is closed to all maritime traffic and is under blockade imposed by Israeli Navy until further notice
Climate	temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers
Terrain	flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Awdah) 105 m
Natural resources	arable land, natural gas
Land use	arable land: 29% permanent crops: 21% other: 50% (2002)
Irrigated land	180 sq km; note - includes West Bank (2003)
Natural hazards	droughts
Environment - current issues	desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination of underground water resources
Geography - note	strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history